


by any other name

by WhatsATerrarium



Category: The Bright Sessions (Podcast)
Genre: Engagement, F/M, Families of Choice, Family, Fluff, Name Changes, Names, Referenced Mark Bryant/Oliver Ritz, Relationship Discussions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23509234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatsATerrarium/pseuds/WhatsATerrarium
Summary: “I think I deserve a name that comes with something good.”OR:Sometimes in order to completely move on, you have to completely sever some ties.
Relationships: Joan Bright/Owen Thompson | Agent Green
Kudos: 17





	by any other name

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Romeo & Juliet.
> 
> This might end up becoming part of my Leading Us Back To Our Golden Coast series, but it depends on if I figure out the timeline.

“Do you have any thoughts on names?” she asks, lying on their bed and looking up at the ceiling, still practically lost in thought as he settles in beside her.

“Names?” he responds, intrigued but confused. His tone reminding her that he is not, in fact, in her head.

“Name,” she corrects herself, then elaborates. “Our name. Last name.”

“Oh,” he says, the intrigue in his tone growing, this time with a hint of surprise. “I wouldn’t say that I have any strong opinions. Just as long as we’re married, that’s… Well,” he smiles awkwardly at her. “...nothing else matters.”

She’s not sure if she’s selfish or not to have one of her favorite things about Owen be how much he loves her. All she knows is that just the reminder of how much he does always manages to make her grin. It’s one thing to know that you’re loved that much at all, but it’s another to know that it’s coming from someone who you love so deeply in return. And the feeling only grows stronger when she stops to remember that they  _ are _ going to get  _ married _ .

That moment of excitement, though, is halted when she notices that he’s still looking at her expectantly. She sighs and rolls her head back up to face the ceiling. “Mark says he’s probably going to take Oliver’s last name.”

“Oh, that’s… good for them?”

“It is, but… it got me thinking. If you… don’t have an opinion either way...”   
  
“I don’t,” he interjects reassuringly, then lets her continue.

“...I think I want to take yours.”

“Oh.” She can tell he wasn’t expecting that. “Can I… Can I ask why?”

“I… you know I don’t have the best relationship with my family.”

He nods understandingly.

“And that’s what last names are supposed to be, right?  _ Family _ names?” She exhales and moves her hand, intending to place it beside her head, but Owen reaches for it before she can set it down, interlocking their fingers and causing her to break from her thoughts to smile. “I know your family a lot better than I know mine, and I like them more too. Hell, your parents like me more than mine do. Mark is the only  _ real _ family I share this name with, and if he’s changing it…”

She’d clung to her codename for so long because ‘Bright’ was always easier to stomach than ‘Bryant’. The name Bright didn’t come with baggage. It didn’t come with parents living far away who at this point have stopped making contact altogether, and it didn’t come with a reminder that there was a foundational part of her life and her own personal history that she’d been severed from.

‘Bright’ didn’t come with a younger brother either, that was the one appeal ‘Bryant’ had. But if it’s losing that appeal, then…

  
“I think I deserve a name that comes with something good.”

“You do,” he hums, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek.

“...And I think I deserve to start my own family with a name that doesn’t come with anything bad weighing it down.”

When he doesn’t say or do anything in response to that, she rolls over to face him. He’s lying next to her and practically staring off into space with a huge grin. Of course he is. She knows how much the idea of starting a family means to him.

“Hey,” she says with a soft smile, gently nudging him with her arm.

“Hey,” he responds in just as soft a tone, having been snapped back into reality. “I love you.”   
  
“I love you too.”

“Get some rest.”

She yawns in response, rolling over onto her side, facing away from him. “Good night, Owen,” she hums underneath her breath.

“Good night,” he responds joyfully, “future Dr. Thompson.”

“Be quiet,” she giggles, deciding not to admit how much she  _ really does _ like the sound of that.

“Joan?” he asks calmly after a minute, as he turns over onto his side to wrap his arms around her.   
  


“Hm?”

“Do me a favor?”   
  
She turns to look at him expectantly and finds him looking back down at her, the look on his face having shifted to something almost melancholy.   
  
“Don’t go to sleep thinking about this. About your parents, or...”

She nods. “I won’t.” He knows her well. She probably would have without the reminder.

He knows her well enough to know that she can’t exactly control her thoughts, no one can, but  _ especially _ not her. But he also knows her well enough to know that if this is one of those thoughts, one of the ones that spirals out and branches off and consumes every part of her brain, she’ll tell him.

She knows him well enough to know that if it were one of those thoughts, he’d stay up with her as long as it takes to divert her mind to something not deemed too painful to fall asleep to.

She loves this man so much.

That’s what she’ll think about.

**Author's Note:**

> So a big reason why I don't usually leave comments is that it doesn’t feel like a conversation, it feels too definite. So, as opposed to asking you to leave comments (which I do still very much appreciate and will respond to if that’s your thing), I’m going to let you know how to contact me!
> 
> Instagram: whats_a_terrarium  
> Discord: whats_a_terrarium#0251  
> Tumblr: whats-a-terrarium  
> Twitter: whatsaterrarium
> 
> If you have any thoughts, ideas, constructive criticism, or just want to ramble, never hesitate! :)


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